nameless

adjective

name·​less ˈnām-ləs 

1

: obscure, undistinguished

2

: not known by name : anonymous

3

: having no legal right to a name (as due to being born to parents not married to each other)

4

: not having been given a name : unnamed

5

: not marked with a name

a nameless grave

6

a

: incapable of precise description : indefinable

b

: too repulsive or distressing to describe

namelessly adverb

namelessness noun

Synonyms

• anonymous
• faceless
• incognito
• innominate
• unbaptized
• unchristened
• unidentified
• unnamed
• untitled

Examples of nameless in a Sentence

She left the hotel with a nameless man in a black jacket.

The source for my story prefers to remain nameless.

A top government official, who shall remain nameless, has expressed concern about the decision.

The men were buried there in nameless graves.

Recent Examples on the Web

Though the celebrity sightings are fun, the most powerful moment in the 69-minute installment comes when two people, Carmen and a relative who shall remain nameless for spoiler reasons, have a quiet conversation in an empty room. —EW.com, 26 June 2025

The film begins with a nameless woman from the city who visits the countryside for a summer holiday. —Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025

MacLeod inevitably winds up facing off against the Kurgan (Clancy Brown), a sadistic and otherwise nameless warrior who has been hunting other immortals for centuries. —Michileen Martin, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025

So far, the zoo believes the four nameless babies are female. —Michael Nied, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nameless

• aimless
• blameless
• shameless

Kids Definition

nameless

adjective

name·​less ˈnām-ləs 

1

: having no name

2

: not marked with a name

a nameless grave

3

: unknown entry 1, anonymous

a nameless hero

4

a

: impossible to describe

nameless fears

b

: too disgusting or disturbing to be described

nameless acts of cruelty